2 couples in mid 30's will be in Lake Como late Aug 2015. Arriving at 7am to Malpensa and departing by train on Aug 30th from Varenna to further on in Italy. I booked 2 rooms at the Grand Hotel Maggiore for now as a place holder. Does anyone have a suggestion of a better place to stay? I'd like to keep it to $250/night and I'd prefer to stay in a hotel with an outdoor pool. Any other suggestions? Is there a beach on the lake anywhere?

Thanks!

SS

There's no such thing as Grand Hotel Maggiore. Perhaps you meant Grand Hotel Mennagio?

My birthday is in August, and I've been celebrating it on Lake Como for almost the last 10 years. I happen to be a swimmer.

The best pool in the mid-lake region is at Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Much like Villa d'Este, GHT's pool is floating on the lake, but you have to cross a street with car traffic to reach it. At Villa d'Este, the floating pool in on private property at the lake's edge. Much more classy. Both of these hotels are out of your budget.

The pool at Grand Hotel Menaggio is OK. I think the hotel is in dreadful need of a re-do. It never deserved the word "grand" in its title. The last time I visited the hotel and sat poolside (it was in July), it was very crowded, with lots of young, screaming kids running around. The pool area is protected by shrubbery, and the bushes are too high to enjoy the view. So, IMO, this place is a real dud.

In Varenna, Hotel Royal Victoria has a lovely pool, and their rooms have undergone a recent renovation. I tend to find a more sophisticated clientele at their pool, but the pool experience is nothing like GHT or Villa d'Este, which are my favorites.

Albergo Lenno has a pool, but it lacks serious charm and has the screaming kids issue. If there wasn't a pool up there, it could be a car park. The ambiance of cement does nothing for me. Plus, their pool is not heated, and the one August I swam there, the water was unbelievably freezing.

I won't dare mention the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni (not a favorite), which is out of your budget, anyway.

Truthfully speaking, the weather in August is divine, even cool at times. You just don't need a pool, unless you're a swimmer like me and swim for exercise.

IMO, if you sacrifice the pool and book rooms with terraces, you'll come back here to thank me.

Duh I am an idiot…Grand hotel Menaggio is what I meant. The Tremezzo is $600/night . I looked it up and looks amazing..but way over budget . Royal Victoria looks lovely. Its quoting me at 282 euro..which is a bit more expensive but I think we could manage it if you think its worth it. We will be coming from NYC and having a pool for relaxation sounds so fantastic. If we were to go without a pool..is there anywhere else that we can go swimming in? I don't think there is lakeside swimming. What hotel would you recommend without a pool? Bellagio has a few I see.

Why do you want Menaggio when you plan to arrive and depart from Varenna. That is not convenient at all.

I was planning to arrive via a shuttle from the hotel..so doesn't matter where to..but yes, departing from Varenna via train..

so you definitely think Varenna is the place to go? Royal Victoria?

Hotel Belvedere in Bellagio has a pool, but I think rates in August (and a weekend) will be above your budget.

http://www.belvederebellagio.com/en/hotel

Guests of Residence l'Ulivo (apartments) have access to the pool of the Grand Hotel Serbelloni.

http://www.residence-bellagio.com/

Unfortunately, Lake Como is officially polluted. The water can be crystal clear, but the scientist who takes the readings for the government tells me that the salmonella count is dangerously high. Some cities around the lake have no sewage system. Some areas of the lake are safer than others. Some people do swim and live to talk about the experience without getting sick. I would never risk such a thing.

Deciding where to stay on Lake Como is the first hurdle. Everyone has an opinion. For me, the view is everything, and I very much care where the sun sets. The sun sets on Varenna, therefore that is my preferred home of choice. The sun also sets on Bellagio, but you're in the middle of the lake, and I prefer to have Bellagio's geographical tip in my view.

Hotel Belvedere is the only hotel I would stay at if I chose to stay in Bellagio. But it has a few drawbacks. If you can get a room near the top, with almost a panoramic view (it helps to know room numbers), then the drawbacks won't matter. Hotel Belvedere is on top of Bellagio (steep climbs), and its quite a distance from the ferry docks.

In Varenna, I love a few places for very different reasons.

#1: Albergo Milano. Their terrace rooms and their terraced restaurant have the best lakeside view. And I adore the hospitality of owners, Bettina and Egidio.

#2: Hotel Du Lac. Their location is very good, but they are further away from the ferry docks, and you can't see La Passerella from their terraces. However, I love this adorable place, I love the staff of professionals, and I love the rooms with terraces.

#3: Villa Cipressi. The grounds are one-of-kind wonderful, and their views are unlike any other. No rooms with terraces, though. Davide Mazzucotelli, Associate Director, is the man behind a million dreams. For wedding planners, he is the leading authority in Varenna. As a service professional, he has no equal. La Contrada has a new chef, and his <i>cucina</i> is divine.

#4: Royal Vittoria. They have their pool, and it can be gorgeous, lovely, and refreshing on a hot day. The views from the upper room terraces are great, but their terraces are rather small. The building is historic. I've been to a few private, corporate dinner functions there, and the food was surprisingly very good. I wouldn't hesitate to throw a party there.

#5: Eremo Gaudio. It's a former monastery, still owned by the Vocationist Fathers. It's run as a non-profit, and many of its staff are volunteers. No matter how much I adore luxury, this place never fails to blow me away. Their views are the most spectacular on the lake, bar none. Their Teodolinda Suite is the only way to pamper yourself here. There's nothing like this experience on Lake Como, especially at this price.

Good luck deciding.

Booked Royal Vittoria!
Thank You

Great info NYC. Thank you. Mary

We stayed at the Belvedere a few years ago and loved it. Outstanding staff. And, yes, the views from the upper floor rooms are magnificent.